Optical properties and radiation stability of TiO2 powders modified by Al2O3, ZrO2, SiO2, TiO2, ZnO, and MgO nanoparticles

• Modification by nanoparticles slightly affects the reflectance of TiO2 pigment.
• Heating at 800 °C increases radiation stability of TiO2 pigment.
• Modification and heating increases radiation stability more than the just heating.
• Specific surface of nanopowders affects the radiation stability after modification.

The high-temperature modification of micron-sized grains of titanium dioxide with nanoparticles of Al2O3, ZrO2, SiO2, TiO2, ZnO, and MgO was performed. The influence of these types of nanoparticles on the diffuse reflectance spectra of modified pigments in the range of 350–2000 nm and their changes after irradiation by 30 keV electrons were investigated. It was determined that the modification does not lead to significant changes in the diffuse reflection spectra of the TiO2 pigments. The type of oxide nanoparticles, the size of the ionic radii and the valence of the cations do not noticeably influence the radiation stability of the modified pigment, as determined by the intensity of the absorption bands in the visible and near infrared regions of the spectrum. The determining factor in the increase of the radiation stability of the modified pigments is the specific surface area of the nanopowders.